Car-coupler release rigging



April 26,1926.

5. H CQNWELL GAR COUPLER RELEASE RIGGING Fi led June 15 1921 it' l I I I i I I 1 i I i 1 l Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES 71,581,175 pm? rarer SAMUEL H. CONWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR TO WALTER P. MURPHY, OF V CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLER RELEASE areerne.

Application filed June 15, 1921. Serial No. 477,774.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that SAMUEL H. CoNwnLL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Coupler Release Rigging, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to uncoupling devices for car couplers generally but more particularly to such devices for locomotives in which use it is highly desirable that the device may be operable from both sides of the locomotive.

The object of this invention is to provide an uncoupling device which may be operated from either side of the car and of such const-ruction that the operating handle will not project forward from the end of the car when the lock pin of the coupler is in look set position, means being provided to permit the handle to return to its normal substantially vertical position against the end of the car.

In some types of uncoupling devices the operating handle remains in its raised position when the lock pin is in look set position, which in the case of use on a locomotive is very dangerous inasmuch as operators in stepping from the foot board, usually found on the front end of locomotives, are liable to have their clothing caught in such outstanding handle whereby they may be thrown on the track and injured. Another objection to this type of device, formerly in use', is that frequently there are several persons on the foot board, in which case an operator is likely to be thrown off the foot board by the opposite handle of the device, when the device is operated from the other side of the car. These conditions make it desirable to provide an uncoupling device which may be operated from either side of the car without disturbing the normal vertil .cal position of the handle on the other side of the car, and further, to provide means whereby the handle operated may return to its normal substantially vertical position, without disturbing the lock set position of the lock pin.

This invention consists of two operating levers separately mounted on a car upon opposite sides of the coupler, for independent operation and each provided with a depending handle at its outer end normally resting against the end structure of the car, and a crank at the inner end of each lever extending forwardly from the car and substantially at right anglesto the handles,

a single rigid bar link flexibly connected to the lock pin of the coupler at its lower end and vertically slidably connected at its upper end with said cranks whereby all service movements of the coupler are permitted without imposing strain upon the Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is side elevation of Figure 1, the

end structure being partly in section.

Figure 4 is a detailed top plan View of another form of operating lever, with the improvedlink connected therewith.

The reference number 1 designates the end structure of a car. The term car includes locomotives.

Operating levers, 2, 3, are revolubly mounted on the end structure in brackets 4: which are provided with filler blocks 5 and cotter pins 6. These levers are, as will be seen, mounted so that they may be independently operated, and they are each provided with an operating handle 7, 8 at their outer' ends and a forwardly extending crank at their inner ends disposed substantially at right angles to the handles. As shown more clearly in Figure 1 these cranks comprise arms 9, 10 at right angles to each other, the arms 10 terminating in an eye, 11, but it will be understood that the cranks may be constructed asshown in Figure 4 and be equally as effective.

The coupling pin 12, of the coupler 13 is connected to the cranks of the operating levers by means of a single bar link which comprises a body portion 14 terminating in a hook 15 at its lower end and in a hook 16 at its upper end. It will be noted that the body portion 14 is disposed to one side of the hooks. The open downwardly extending hook 16 is comparatively large whereby it may loosely engage the eyes 11 of both cranks 10 as shown in the drawing, the

center of the hook being disposed substantially vertically over the lock pin of the coupler. The lower portion of the link is deflected as at 17 so that the lower hook 15 may be, as is, formed and positioned with its center in substantially the same vertical plane with the center of the eye of the lock pin and the hook 16, the construction of the hooks 15, 16 and their connection with the cranks and coupler pin being such that the parts can not be disconnected or assembled without first removing the levers from the car.

The bar link is so connected with the cranks 9 that it may move vertically in and relatively to the eyes 11 and is free to move in said eyes, as well as the eye of the coupler pin to permit of all service movements of the coupler without imposing any strain upo the levers and their cranks.

The coupler pin: may be operated and moved to lockset position by either lever without disturbing the normal position of the other lever and the lever operated may return to its normal position without disturbing the lock set position oi'the lock pin.

What is claimed is:

1. In an uncoupling device for car couplers having a lock pin provided with an eye, the combination with two independently mounted operating levers,cranks extending forwardly from and substantially at right angles to the inner end of each lever, a handle at the outer end of each lever extending downwardly substantially at right angles to the cranks, an eye at the outer end of each crank, a single rigid pin lifting link connecting the coupler pin and said cranks free to move under all service conditions independently of the cranks said link comprising a single bar link terminating in a hook at each end, the hook at one end loosely engaging the eye of the crank of each lever to permit of a vertical movement ofthe link relative to said eyes, while the hook at the other end loosely engages the eye of the lock pin ofthe coupler.

2. An uncoupling device for car couplers comprising a pair of independently mounted levers, operatively mounted on the end of a car, upon opposite sides of the coupler, and connected with the lock pin of the coupler, an operating handle connected with each of the said levers whereby the device is rendered operable from both sides of the car, and a single bar link connecting the inner ends of the levers independently of each other with the lock pin of the coupler; said link terminating at its upper end in a substantially wide open return bend portion for engagement with both levers, and termihating at its lower end in a hook extending transversely of the coupler and engaging the lock pin, the joints between the levers, lock pin and link constituting flexible joints which permit of the normal longitudinal and transverse movements of the coupler without imposing strain on said levers.

3. In an uncoupling device for car couplers comprising apair of levers, operatively mounted on the end of a car upon opposite sides of a coupler and provided with eyes at their inner ends, an operating handle at the outer end of each leve r,whereby the device may be operated from both sides of the car, and a single bar link terminating at its upper end in a relatively wide open return bend disposed to'one side of the body of the link and terminating in an enlargement at its free end, whereby said open hook may pass through and remain inoperative engagement with the eyes of both of the levers, the lower end of the bar terminating in a hook extending transversely of the coupler and engaging the lock pin, the bar and its hook the top being free to move vertically relatively to the eyes of the levers; whereby the lock pin may be operated by either lever without disturbing the normal position of the other lever, and whereby the lever operated may return to normal position without disturbing the lock set position of the pin.

4. In a release rigging for car couplers, the combination with two independently mounted levers on a car, an operating handle on the outer end of each lever normally depending in a substantially vertical position, a forwardly extending crank on the inner end of each lever, of a rigid member connecting said cranks with the lock pin of the coupler, said rigid member being slidable vertically relatively to said cranks, whereby the member may be elevated by either lever to lift the lock pin without disturbing the normal position of the'other lever, and whereby the lever operated may return to its normal position without disturbing the lock set position of the lock pin. 7

5. In a release rigging for car couplers, the combination with the lock pin of the coupler, and two independently mounted rods on the end of a car, a handle on the outer end of each rod normally depending vertically, and a forwardly extending crank on the inner end of each rod, of a single rigid link flexibly connected with the lock pin and the cranks, whereby the lock pin may be operated and moved to lock set position by either lever without moving the other lever, and whereby the lever, operated may return to its normal position without disturbing the lock set position of the pin.

SAMUEL H. GONWELL 

